The challenge.

Our client, a global leader in the cement manufacturing industry, had a critical requirement for a Cement Plant Manager at one of their flagship facilities in North America. However, they faced a unique challenge – the need for utmost confidentiality throughout the hiring process. They were unable to publicly advertise the company name, plant location, or any identifying details due to the sensitive nature of the role and potential competitive implications. The client needed a strategic partner who could navigate this complexity while ensuring a successful outcome.

The solution.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) proposed a comprehensive and discreet solution tailored to the client’s unique needs. The approach cantered around creating a extensive database of potential candidates who possessed the requisite technical expertise, leadership qualities, and a willingness to relocate to the region.

The CHI team embarked on a multi-faceted process:

• Detailed briefing – Conducting in-depth discussions with the client to understand the precise technical skills, personality traits, and leadership competencies required for the Cement Plant Manager role.
• Global talent mapping – Leveraging advanced technology and CHI’s extensive global network, the team mapped over 250 Cement Plant Managers, Assistant Plant Managers, and Production Managers with cement industry experience across North America and the Rest of the World. This longlist was meticulously populated with up-to-date contact information.
• Discreet candidate engagement – Each potential candidate on the longlist was approached confidentially to gauge their current status, interest level, and suitability for the role. CHI’s consultants relied on their expertise and credibility to build trust and assure candidates of the opportunity’s legitimacy, despite the client’s anonymity.
• Securing candidate buy-in – Through transparent communication and a proven track record of successful placements, CHI gained the commitment of qualified candidates to be included in a shortlist for an unknown client and location.
• Shortlist presentation – A carefully curated shortlist of candidates who met the client’s stringent criteria was presented, preserving confidentiality.
• Comprehensive interview management – As candidates progressed through the client’s extensive 6-stage interview process, CHI provided meticulous support and guidance. This included managing candidate expectations, addressing concerns, and ensuring maximum engagement despite the moving timeframes and evolving details.
• Stakeholder coordination – CHI facilitated seamless communication and coordination between the client’s key stakeholders involved in the intensive interview process, ensuring a cohesive and efficient experience.

The result.

Through our discreet, strategic approach and unwavering commitment to the client’s needs, an exceptional international candidate from outside the North American region was successfully placed as the Cement Plant Manager. This outcome not only fulfilled the client’s stringent requirements but also preserved the confidentiality deemed essential for this critical hire.

Our expertise in navigating complex, confidential searches, combined with our global reach and candidate management capabilities, proved invaluable in delivering a successful outcome for our client.

The challenge.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) was engaged in exploratory discussions with an Iberian-based building materials manufacturer to determine how best to support their talent acquisition efforts. The manufacturer, heavily backed by a private equity (PE) firm, was planning a transformational project to deploy its groundbreaking products across Europe. This project created a range of challenging and business-critical vacancies. Identifying the necessary talent in new territories for an international company can be complex, time-consuming, and financially costly, even when considering the opportunities and innovations the company can offer.

To address the challenge, a senior member of the company’s executive committee reached out to CHI to discuss how we could support their recruitment requirements. With no presence or network in any of the five key territories, the company required a global search partner, such as CHI, to utilise its expertise and industry networks to attract top talent in the relevant regions. One of the main hurdles was identifying and securing the right personnel from a scarce talent pool with sector-specific expertise and the willingness to “start from scratch” given the company’s stage of growth.

The solution.

The client agreed to collaborate with CHI on an exclusive basis across all key territories. Initially, CHI utilised proven research techniques to analyse the labour market in three of the five key regions. As the client was unsure about remuneration rates in these territories, our team established a fair salary range that met the client’s financial objectives while attracting best-in-class passive candidates. With the package established, our team proceeded to screen candidates and delivered a shortlist of relevant, qualified, and sought-after individuals—all within the first ten days of commencing the project. The interview process progressed smoothly, culminating in the appointment of a proven specialist to head up the business development function. This candidate’s experience matched all the relevant skill sets required and was an excellent cultural fit with the business.

In the second stage, we worked with the client to hire Key Account Managers (KAMs) in the remaining territories. After building a productive relationship, we endeavoured to complete the process quickly and efficiently, without compromising on the quality of personnel presented. As such, CHI provided the client with industry specialists capable of effectively establishing their presence in local markets. Following a thorough interview process, CHI swiftly moved to the offer stage. Additionally, CHI advised the client on legal and traditional frameworks, including social security, payroll solutions, holidays, and car allowances. This guidance allowed the client to accelerate the offer process and secure the desired candidates promptly.

The result.

Candidates were successfully onboarded at the company’s HQ in Iberia after completing a comprehensive training programme. Due to the high calibre of alternative candidates presented in the shortlist, the client went on to hire a second KAM in three of the new territories. Although the transformation project initially aimed for five hires, CHI supported eight successful placements, surpassing the client’s expectations.

Despite the challenges and minor setbacks encountered during the project, CHI filled 100% of the vacancies and delivered an experience that outperformed alternative global search firms previously engaged by the client. These firms had been criticised for their slow processes and lack of sector-specific knowledge, which ultimately hindered their ability to identify and secure the right personnel. Additionally, CHI achieved a 10% cost saving for the client and PE investor, who deemed the project excellent value given that each placement has already established significant pipelines of new business and revenue streams.

As a result of this successful project, CHI now provides exclusive services to the client in various geographical locations while retaining the agency’s 100% repeat customer rate from new clients acquired over the past two years. Furthermore, the additional market intelligence CHI has provided through this committed partnership has enabled the client to grow quickly and successfully in new regions, ahead of schedule and under budget.

The challenge.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) was in exploratory discussions with a high-profile, US-based glass manufacturer around how we could support their talent acquisition efforts. The company was going through a period of significant growth, accelerated by multiple acquisitions and extensive geographical expansion, creating a range of challenging and business-critical vacancies. Scaling headcount at senior level during a rapid growth phase is complex and challenging, regardless of a company’s position as a market leader within their field.

To address this issue, a senior executive within the company’s HR function, who’d worked with CHI in a previous role, reached out to our packaging division to discuss how we could support their recruitment requirements. However, there was reluctance from other key decision makers to commit to an upfront/retained model having had a poor experience with several alternative (and reputable) global search firms; they’d found the process to be slow and lacking in sector-specific knowledge, culminating in an inability to identify and secure the right personnel.

The solution.

To allay concerns around a retained model, we proposed a two-stage trial. In the first instance, CHI would deliver talent into two of the most time-sensitive requirements, across their sales and finance leadership team on a contingency basis, with exclusivity for a short timeframe. Our aim was to demonstrate the strength of our network and understanding of their market. Within days, our team identified shortlists of candidates who had the relevant technical and management experience, as well as a proven track record in ensuring that all commercial and financial objectives are met. With the clients support to turn around feedback and the interview process quickly, these initial assignments were filled in the opening month – the equivalent period it took their last retained specialist to reach shortlist stage.

In stage two, we worked with the client to identify their next three most important hires, and agreed a bespoke two part retained process with a sizeable upfront commitment. In return, the client received a reduction in the overall fee, as well as the flexibility to move the commencement to a second role should their priority change in this fast-moving circumstance. With an upfront commitment in place, we were also able to conduct additional market research, including competitor reward benchmarking and market perception of the business in these new geographical areas; information key to the continuing success of the growth in these new locations. The reduction in overall fee alongside a significant decrease in time to hire also gave the business the confidence needed to roll the process out across their remaining operational and senior leadership requirements.

The result.

We now work with this client on a 100% retained model and have access to all senior, operational and commercial appointments across their extensive North America operations.

Our bespoke retained model has enjoyed a 96% success rate with this client in the months that followed. What’s more, our closest competitor proposed charging 30% of package over a three-stage process, lasting anywhere from 12-20 weeks from taking the brief to onboarding the hire*, whereas CHI’s process saved them an average of £15,000 per hire, and reduced the time to hire to an average of five weeks. Over the next 10 hires, this represented a saving of £150,000 on recruitment spend, and considerable additional savings from a combined six-month reduction in hiring time and effort.

The additional market intel CHI have been able to provide from this committed partnership has allowed the business to grow quickly and successfully in new geographical locations, ahead of time, and under budget.

*based on a £120,000 base salary/£150,000 package

The challenge.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) was retained by a US-based subsidiary of one of the world’s leading global digital inkjet businesses. The company was looking to appoint a Service and Installation Manager to support its North American operations. Due to the historical approach employed when carrying out internal recruitment, the hiring manager, who was also new to the company, was facing a real challenge attracting the right talent to the business whilst also trying to embed herself into a new company with a different culture and processes.

The solution.

Following extensive discussions with the hiring manager regarding the challenges they’d been facing, most of which were caused by engaging a local generalist recruiter, CHI proposed a retained search approach. Our sector specialists operate solely within their industry verticals, in this case, print and multichannel marketing, and so have extensive knowledge about trends and issues that are happening in the candidate market within the industry. They are also equipped with a wide-reaching network of the sector’s best talent and a proven track record of successfully delivering similar assignments.

CHI searched for a high-quality, technical-minded individual who is both innovative and efficiency-driven. CHI combined its extensive network and proprietary sourcing tools with a customised and unique outreach campaign, which helped to rapidly identify a pool of relevant candidates. This talent pool was pre-screened to ensure CHI only presented candidates that possessed the prerequisites to be a successful hire. This saves time and resource for all involved; us, the recruiter, and the hiring company. Within days of commencing a targeted headhunt based on credentials, salary requirements and motivations, a candidate from a direct background was identified and shared with the hiring manager.

The result.

Having submitted one standout candidate for consideration, CHI received an instant response regarding the individual’s suitability, and a first-stage video interview followed within days. Feedback from the client was exceptional; a second-stage interview was arranged. Following a site tour visit in which the candidate spent a day exploring the business and spending time with the company’s leadership team, an offer was made to the standalone candidate. CHI handled the offer presentation and negotiation stage to facilitate the smooth onboarding of the desired candidate. Their experience fit all the relevant skill sets our client required, as well as being an excellent cultural fit with the business.

This placement, amongst others, has led to a close-knit working relationship between CHI and the client, and we are now in talks with the wider group to support their recruitment and staffing requirements moving forward.

The challenge.

Our client, a global leader in industrial minerals, was seeking a Corporate Senior Process Engineer for the EMEA region. They had very specific requirements dictated by a number of key factors. They included technical capability, seniority, leadership style, personality traits, location and ability to travel with work.

The solution.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) was approached in 2019 to fill the first of what could be several positions over the coming years. The suggested solution was a typical retained search that would see the brief taken, search executed, shortlist presented, interviews undertaken and chosen candidate offered and placed.

In six months’ time following the success of the first placement, the client had the requirement to add a further member to the team. As per the first search, a typical retained search was undertaken, however, the number of candidates presented was significantly less given the search was conducted in the same talent pool and there had been little movement in six months. As such, this meant the total search duration was significantly longer than in the first instance.

Despite this, CHI was able to find a candidate that was more recently available and fitted the client’s requirements to a tee. This resulted in a second placement.

Fast forward twelve months and the client needed to add a further member of staff to this growing function, and given the success of the previous two searches, retained CHI to undertake this latest assignment. With the experience acquired through the previous two searches, CHI had to clearly set expectations that if the client was to stay strong by their brief, then the shortlist would be reduced further and the timeframe for delivery potentially much longer.

This required going back through the original search and reconnecting with every candidate. Then, add to the longlist to find any new candidates that were not initially available in previous searches. Instead of CHI sending over large volumes of candidates that would ultimately not meet the brief, it was agreed that we would only share those that hit every point, aware that this would impact delivery timeframes.

Each time, the search became more difficult, and the process took longer. Yet, ultimately, led to three placements being made in the same team over a two-year period.

The result.

Sometimes a retained search can look very different in terms of shortlist delivery but ultimately comes down to the required investment of time and resources into the given search. Using a search firm doesn’t guarantee that there will be more CVs and interviews, but provides the hiring team with confidence that when the perfect candidate does surface, they will be presented to them.  

The challenge.

A ground-breaking start-up, developing cutting-edge technology within the automotive industry, needed to find a Managing Director for their European operation. This was a business-critical role requiring a specific background and knowledge base. The ideal person also needed to be trilingual, with global exposure. Due to the specific skillset required by the hiring company, this role had been open and unfilled for some time and there was now a high level of urgency due to the seniority of the position and the real risk of deadlines being missed across the European business. As with all start-ups, this could cause a significant knock-on effect as regards forecast and market confidence. As such, this assignment had to be completed quickly, efficiently and covertly.

The solution.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) conducted a retained search for a highly strategic, knowledge-based expert who had the required experience. This was carried out by employing true executive search methodology; working closely with senior executives and gaining a thorough understanding of the requirement of the role and capabilities needed. CHI then ran a fast-paced campaign, pulling out all stops to enable the role to be filled in the shortest possible timeframe. Our Future Mobility division allocated significant resources to ensure the standard of service was not compromised in any way, despite the short time-to-hire requirements.

The search comprised market mapping to target companies across multiple countries globally and drawing up a diverse pool of highly credible prospective candidates. Working in collaboration with the client’s HR Director, CHI identified a long list of suitable candidates. We then commenced a targeted headhunt on all preferred candidates based on credentials, salary requirements, and motivations. This created a shortlist comprising qualified and fully engaged candidates.

CHI coordinated a combination of face-to-face and virtual interviews in a multi-stage hiring process. The final stage was conducted in person with the CEO flying from the US to Europe. Other stages of the four-part process were conducted with the Global President of Vehicle Operations, the Group CFO and the VP for Vehicle Engineering.

The result.

By utilising our established network of connections and with complete visibility in the market, together with broad customer knowledge, we were able to produce a strong shortlist to present to our client within nine working days.

Following interviews, an offer was made to the first-choice candidate who accepted after a total of four weeks from the commencement of the assignment, with a start date agreed for three months later (in line with the individual’s notice period). CHI handled the offer presentation and negotiation stage to facilitate the smooth onboarding of the desired candidate. Their experience fit all the relevant skillsets our client required, as well as being an excellent cultural fit with the business.

This placement led to a close-knit working relationship between CHI and the client. As such, we have agreed on a long-term partnership covering North America and Europe.

The challenge.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) partnered with a global packaging distributor to recruit the new role of Sales Sustainability Manager. The company has been making good progress with regards to sustainability and ESG initiatives, but they lack a dedicated leader at a corporate level to further develop the strategy and take ownership for leading group-wide sustainability opportunities and requirements. Plus, this newly formed role would be responsible for conveying the value proposition of sustainable business practices to partners and clients in a time of accelerated emphasis and heightened scrutiny.  

Reporting to the Chief Sales Officer, the successful hire would need to be able to form a close working relationship, involving frequent consultation and collaboration, with the company’s CEO. The demand for analysts, strategists, and others knowledgeable about environmental, social, and governance across the corporate landscape has never been higher, making talent within this space hard to secure. What’s more, our client had short time-to-hire requirements and needed an individual in place within 10 weeks of retaining CHI for this assignment.

The solution.

CHI’s Packaging division proposed a retained search. Working in unison with the client, CHI reviewed a wide range of profiles from across the sustainability arena to establish key skills and capabilities required for the role. CHI then targeted organisations with mature and tenured sustainability functions and engaged the market by talking to Chief Sustainability Officers and business unit-level sustainability talent. Our sector specialists also spoke with commercial leaders to understand who they had enjoyed working with and felt would be capable of building strong, credible relationships quickly.

It was important to the client that they were able to see a breadth of profiles and we therefore presented candidates from a variety of backgrounds, all of which have expertise within the packaging sector. CHI delivered a strong final shortlist of four candidates within one week of commencement. All proposed candidates were deemed suitable (by the client) for interview. The multi-stage hiring process comprised three interviews, including a telephone interview, a panel interview, and an interview with the CEO. All interviews were conducted by senior management from the company’s HR and Sales functions. Two candidates successfully progressed to the final stage.

The result.

Following interviews, an offer was made to the first-choice candidate who accepted after a total of eight weeks, with a start date agreed for two months later (in line with the individual’s notice period). CHI handled the offer presentation and negotiation stage to facilitate the smooth onboarding of the desired candidate. Their experience fit all the relevant skill sets our client required as well as being an excellent cultural fit with the business. What’s more, the hired candidate was a passive job seeker, vindicating CHI’s retained search approach.

The search was a huge success which was made possible through various screenings on CHI’s side and close interactions with the client on market information and insights. This placement, amongst others, has led to a close-knit working relationship between CHI and the client; CHI has since received a number of new assignments, and our packaging division is actively seeking industry-leading talent from across the passive job seeker market to keep their business one step ahead of the competition in talent acquisition.

The challenge.

A leading service provider in the Energy Transition industry was seeking a Head of Business Development for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. This role was responsible for expanding the company’s services into a new geographical territory and identifying new commercial business opportunities to grow the client’s market share within this region. The position was highly autonomous, reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, and required the selected candidate to recognise, analyse, and commercialise new opportunities to sell complex services within Asia. Proven leadership, stakeholder management, and strategic decision-making were also prerequisites for a successful hire. The biggest challenge – the target hire would also need to bring product/services knowledge spanning CCUS, Hydrogen, and SAF.

The solution.

Chad Harrison International (CHI) conducted a retained search for a first-rate business developer with high visibility in the market, as well as broad customer knowledge and connections. The successful candidate also needed to be an exceptional business builder, with evidence of leading the rapid growth of an Energy services provider to significant scale and establishing a high-performance sales team.

The search involved market mapping to target companies across multiple countries within the region and creating a diverse pool of highly credible prospective candidates. Working in collaboration with the client’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), CHI identified a long list of suitable candidates. We then commenced a targeted headhunt of all preferred candidates based on credentials, salary requirements, and motivations. This process resulted in a shortlist of qualified and interested candidates.

CHI coordinated virtual interviews for the initial stage of a multi-stage hiring process. These were conducted via Microsoft Teams by the COO. The second stage was conducted by two peers within the business from other geographical territories. For the final interview, the client’s COO flew to Asia to meet the final two candidates face-to-face. During this stage, candidates were required to present on their market and customer knowledge, as well as their ability to build an international commercial function within the region.

The result.

Within four weeks of commencing the assignment, CHI submitted a diverse shortlist of six candidates. Following interviews, an offer was made to the first-choice candidate, who accepted after a total of eight weeks, with a start date agreed three months later (in line with the individual’s notice period). CHI handled the offer presentation and negotiation stage, ensuring the smooth onboarding of the desired candidate. Their experience matched all the relevant skill sets required by the client, while also being an excellent cultural fit for the business.

This placement, among others, has led to a close working relationship between CHI and the client. As a result, we have since hired individuals reporting into the position detailed above and carried out extensive search assignments for the client across other regions, notably Europe and North America.

The challenge.

A leading Building Materials manufacturer engaged Chad Harrison International (CHI) to conduct a confidential search for a Plant Manager. The company had encountered an issue with the incumbent staff member but could only consider making a replacement once a suitable alternative had been sourced and secured. What’s more, the company is highly attractive and did not have the time or will to go through a long and highly labour-intensive advertisement campaign, but rather conduct the search under the radar and with the utmost discretion. Failure to keep the search confidential could impact productivity and have a detrimental impact on workforce harmony.

The solution.

CHI’s Building Materials and Minerals division conducted a confidential search in line with the company’s requirements. Candidates were approached and screened, all without being supplied with any detail which could reveal the identity of the hiring company. The screening process delved into each candidate’s motivations, experience and credentials, situation regarding relocation, salary expectations, and notice period, amongst other things.

Once deemed suitable for the requirements of the roles, candidates were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) – drafted and provided by CHI. Once candidates had signed the NDA, we were able to share full details of the company and role before submitting a highly credible shortlist to the client for consideration. We identified candidates who had the relevant technical and management experience, as well as a proven track record in ensuring that all operational and financial objectives are met.

By getting a head start on the recruitment process, the client was able to deal with their internal situation in due course, confident that they had a strong shortlist of candidates to appoint a replacement quickly and efficiently.

The result.

We were able to assemble a diverse shortlist of six candidates. The interview process concluded with the successful hiring of a sought-after individual who was able to start within one month of accepting the job offer. Their experience fit all the relevant skill sets our client required, as well as being an excellent cultural fit with the business.

By undertaking a confidential retained search, CHI was able to undertake an entire search process in which only a handful of candidates found out specifics about the employer and position.

The challenge.

Our client, a global packaging manufacturer, required a Manufacturing Director to support the company’s exponential growth within their European operation. The company are key players within the metal packaging sector. This was a newly created position reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer. The successful candidate would oversee two manufacturing plants (in the UK and France) and would be responsible for leading a team of Plant Managers, whilst also acting as the director for the ends and closures business unit.

Based on previous success in this field, we were tasked to lead the search for the candidate. The key challenge was finding a candidate to suit the company’s exact brief; a manufacturing leader with the expertise, leadership skills, and broader knowledge of the manufacturing sector, which is a highly specialised field. This meant that our packaging division were searching within a highly concentrated talent pool, requiring expert utilisation of their networks within the sector and geographical market.

The solution.

Given the niche nature of the search requirements, Chad Harrison International (CHI) proposed a retained search model. It was determined that the successful candidate must possess some mandatory soft skills to be successful in the role which could only be assessed through a 1-1 screening process. However, the client wanted to take a more open approach (than first thought) on industry backgrounds. This allowed them to see a breadth of profiles and we therefore presented candidates from across the manufacturing sector. Approaching a search in this way often results in longer timescales but provides more agility for the client, allowing them to revise their brief based on the availability of relevant, sought-after candidates within their market.

The result.

After a thorough search comprising several months of identifying and screening a diverse range of candidates, an outstanding individual was identified, qualified, and proposed to the client. They successfully completed the company’s interview process and accepted the role upon offer. Their experience fit all the relevant skill sets our client required as well as being an excellent cultural fit with the business. What’s more, the hired candidate was a passive job seeker, vindicating CHI’s retained search approach.

The search was a huge success which was made possible through various screenings on CHI’s side and close interactions with the client on market information and insights.